Birds of a Feather
Season 2 Episode 19 Penguin's up to his old tricks again, this time robbing a museum of its paintings, with him taking a particular interest in a picture of ducks on a lake. As usual, Penguin tries to keep a high class image with his victims then Batman arrives to stop him. Penguin tries to escape, but Batman manages to apprehend him. After some time, Penguin is released from prison and insists that he has learned his lesson and he's ready to rejoin elite society. However, he finds that no one is waiting for him outside of the prison and he ends up having to take a bus filled with less than savvy people and a rude driver into Gotham. Elesewhere, Veronica Vreeland mopes over her failing social status. Her equally-vain friend Pierce Chapman suggests she throw a party. Veronica agrees but thinks that she needs something special to spruce up the party. Pierce reminds her of the Joker crashing a friends party and then shows her a news article of the Penguin's release. Thinking that this will bring her back into the eyes of her peers, Veronica makes plans to invite him. Penguin returns home expecting to find his own peers waiting for him. However, he finds that only Batman is there waiting to warn him to stay out of trouble. After Batman leaves, Penguin recieves a call from Veronica and she asks him out on a dinner date, to which Penguin is more than happy to accept. Out at the restaurant, Penguin loudly makes bad jokes and eats small fish whole, upsetting all the restaurant patrons. Furthermore, his presence causes people to walk out in fear that he'll rob them. Penguin doesn't notice this, but does suspect that Veronica has ulterior motives for inviting him. Veronica assures him that she's just interested in him and his unique traits. Penguin is enchanted and asks for the cheque, but is told that the meal is free if he'll just leave. Penguin takes this as a gesture of respect for his status and leaves even happier than ever. As Penguin and Veronica leave, a trio of thugs notice them and decide to mug them. Unaware of this, Veronica takes the opportunity to invite Penguin to her party which he readily accepts. Just then, the thugs make their attack and Penguin starts to fight them off with his umbrella. However, one of the thugs manages to get hold of Veronica's necklace which Penguin takes back. At this moment, Batman arrives and takes down the thugs. However, he mistakes Penguin for their leader and attacks him as well. Veronica clears things up with Batman much to his surprise. Later, Pierce talks to Veronica about the failed mugging and jokes about Penguin's lack of style. Veronica, however, thinks that it was touching as she's not used to having someone rush to her rescue as the Penguin had. During the conversation, Bruce arrives and asks about who they're talking about and learns that Veronica is only dating the Penguin to amuse her guests and herself. Bruce warns them not to use the Penguin like this as he will most likely be unforgiving if he finds out, but Pierce dismisses this. The next night Veronica and Penguin head out to watch the opera / Pagliacci. Penguin mimics the tune in his horrible singing voice much to Veronica's dismay. Still, she puts on a happy face and allows him to kiss her hand in spite of her disgust. Pierce is amused but Bruce grows concerned, and begins to feel sympathy for the Penguin for the first time. Veronica's party gets underway and Penguin wasts no time socializing with the guests. Though he thinks that he's being witty and refined, they are appalled. Pierce finds this greatly amusing but Veronica is starting to get bad feelings about what shes doing to Penguin. Meanwhile, Bruce watches as Penguin steps out to admire a piece of jewelry that he thinks is stolen. However, Penguin shows Bruce that it's actually a gold penguin which he wants to give Veronica as a gift. Taken back, Bruce starts to believe that Penguin really has reformed. Unfortunately, when Penguin goes in to see Veronica he overhears she and Pierce talking about thier bad joke. Outraged at being played for a fool, Penguin hits them with knockout gas and kidnaps Veronica despite Bruce's attempt to stop him. Pierce goes to the police (and particularly an annoyed Commissioner Gordon) and a ransom note is sent to them. It is one million dollars and Pierce has to deliver it himself. The police escort him to the drop off point, but the Penguin expected this and calls him on a pay phone instructing him to a new location. While Pierce follows these instructions, he falls into the sewers where a duck boat is waiting for him. The boat takes Pierce to the opera house where he's chained to a platform and Veronica is tied to a chandeller. Penguin takes the money and Veronica offers him more if he'll let her go. Penguin furiously refuses, saying that all he really wanted was "a little friendship," and now she has to pay for using him. Finding a bat-tracer in the money, Penguin prepares to cut the rope holding the chandelier Veronica is chained to which will kill both she and Pierce. Veronica insists that she really was growing fond of Penguin and she's still willing to try to be his friend but Penguin refuses to believe her. Batman arrives and stops him from killing Veronica. A fight ensues and Penguin jumps onto a fire-breathing dragon prop and sets the opera house ablaze. The rope holding the chandelier catches fire and it falls but Batman manages to save her and Pierce. Penguin tries to continue the fight, but Batman stops him. Later, the police arrive and take Penguin into custody. Veronica once again repeats to Penguin that she really was getting fond of him, but he coldly scoffs her. Special Notes The duck boat that Pierce lands in is a nod to the Tim Burton movie Batman Returns. The streets that Penguin sends Pierce to are named after comic book artists Steve Englehart and Mike W. Barr. Category:DC Animated Universe Category:Batman : The Animated Series